1. Ecosystems Underpin Infrastructure in
The Nexus
Damian Crilly

2. The Nexus 2050 Challenge 80% More Energy 9 Billion People 55% More
2050 – The Challenge
The world population is predicted to grow from 7 billion in 2010 to 9.1 billion in 2050.
Water: Demand projected to increase by 55% more than current levels by 2050 (OECD Environmental Outlook to 2050)
Energy: Demand projected to increase by 80% more than current levels by 2050 (OECD Environmental Outlook to 2050)
Food: Demand projected to increase by 60% more than current levels by 2050 (FAO:TOWARDS 2030/2050)
As global populations continue to grow, development of innovative water infrastructure and technology that optimise and address the interdependencies of water, energy and food (i.e. multi-purpose reservoirs for agricultural irrigation, domestic water supply and hydropower) will become ever more important.
This population increase will need to be serviced with water, energy and food against a backdrop of climate change.
55%
More
Water
60%
More
Food

3. 2050 Trajectories

4. Can we change trajectory?

5. Climate Change
Climate Change
Source: Mahlstein et al 2011

6. The benefits people receive from nature are ‘ecosystem services’.

7. Water for food
Water purification
Flow regulation
Water storage
Water supply
Water storage
Water supply
Water conveyance
Cultural services
Fisheries provision
Water for energy

8. Ecosystems are infrastructure –
part of the “the stock of facilities, services and installations needed for the functioning of a society”
Nature is part of the infrastructure portfolio of every country and every economy
Water for food
Water purification
Flow regulation
Water storage
Water supply
Water storage
Critical services from nature equate to functions of infrastructure. With the term infrastructure defined as ‘the stock of facilities, services and installations needed for the functioning of a society’, nature is part of infrastructure portfolio of every country and every economy. This is ‘natural infrastructure’, which complements, augments or replaces conventional built infrastructure like reservoirs, dams, levees and canals. The natural infrastructure provided by ecosystems is usually highly cost-effective, and its restoration can provide attractive returns on investment in social and economic terms.
Water supply
Water conveyance
Cultural services
Fisheries provision
Water for energy

9. Source: Wilson Center 2013 Modern societies and cities need all three.
Water
Recent estimates indicate that megacities lose more than 50% of their water through mismanagement and poor infrastructure
Food
Each year 30% - 50% of global food production is wasted – with a water footprint of 550 billion cubic metres (approximately what China uses in year)
Energy
In 2010 Saudi Arabia’s desalination plants used 1.5 million barrels of oil per day – 1/6 of its output
Source: Wilson Center 2013

10. Global population Source: UN Population Division 2008 Source: UNESCO
Global population is becoming increasingly urban
Urban population is projected to increase by 2.9 billion, to a total of 6.3 billion in 2050
Today, one in two people on the planet live in a city
Every second, the urban population grows by 2 people
Source: UN Population Division 2008
Source: UN-HABITAT

11. Compare health and degraded system - services

12. Available Natural Resources
Flood regulation
Water purification
Water provision
Water storage
Available Natural Resources
Ecosystem
Function
Water
security
Ecosystems critical to the nexus. Services from ecosystems, natural infrastructure, underpin each of the three securities of water, food and energy. Without healthy ecosystems in well-functioning watersheds, the infrastructure built for irrigation, hydropower or municipal water supply does not function sustainably, and is unlikely to achieve the economic returns necessary to justify investments. With its functions integral to the three securities and their inter-dependence, nature is part of the infrastructure needed to manage the nexus and its resilience.
Fisheries provision
Water for energy

13. I need to set up a multi-disciplinary, cross sectoral partnership
The Problem
Although the need for integration is acknowledged, many of our institutions are divided into ‘silos’, separated by thematic and technical boundaries, principles and practice, often from the top down.
Traditionally responsibility has been given to water agencies but the challenges are not all owned or controlled by water agencies.
Most water institutions tend not to have the mandate or policies that are comprehensive or integrated enough to address these complex inter-related problems.
Adapted from Global Integration

14. Integrated River Basin Management
A better understanding of river basins as complex systems is needed.
A focus on a systems approach would lead to more integrated resource management across the land-water-energy sectors in river basins.
Nexus connectivity between land, water and energy provides a focal point to facilitate integration – vertical, horizontal and multi sectoral
Top Down and Bottom Up
By focussing on the sphere of influence between sectors provides opportunities for collaboration and ultimately leading to partnership.
Adapted from Grigg 2008

15. Natural infrastructure does not replace the need for built infrastructure and natural infrastructure can compliment built infrastructure. For example, dams benefit from forests that stabilize soils and hold back erosion upstream. Lakes and wetlands provide water storage and therefore reduce the reservoir volume needed and thus the cost of built water storage. Well-functioning natural infrastructure is necessary for built infrastructure to perform its functions better, to ensure projected benefits and to increase returns on investment.

16. Natural infrastructure Built infrastructure Benefit Wetlands
Water filtration facility
Pollutant removal
Forests (upstream of hydropower)
Periodic sediment dredging
Reliable power and flood control
Mangroves
Sea walls
Shoreline protection from storm
Coral reefs
Breakwaters and groins
Reduced beach erosion
Natural floodplains
Dikes and canals
Flood prevention
Aquifers
Reservoirs
Water storage
Natural infrastructure does not replace the need for built infrastructure and natural infrastructure can compliment built infrastructure. For example, dams benefit from forests that stabilize soils and hold back erosion upstream. Lakes and wetlands provide water storage and therefore reduce the reservoir volume needed and thus the cost of built water storage. Well-functioning natural infrastructure is necessary for built infrastructure to perform its functions better, to ensure projected benefits and to increase returns on investment.

17. The IUCN Nexus infographic
Ask the questions on the slide

19. Nexus Dialogue on Infrastructure Solutions
Collaborative partnership
Global project with regional dimensions
Enables IUCN and IWA to be active in the water - energy – food nexus
Connects ‘problem owners’ with ‘solution providers’
Catalyses country / river basin level action to better target investments
Global reference group

20. Global Platform AFRICA LATIN AMERICA ASIA March 2014 May 2013
September 2013
ASIA
March 2014

21. Nexus Dialogue

22. Conference Themes:
Using the nexus to accelerate development
Cleantech nexus infrastructure and technology solutions
Collaboration and institutional arrangements for a nexus approach
Influencing pathways of investments for nexus infrastructure and technology
More information coming soon: waternexussolutions.org
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